TORRANCE, Calif., June 7, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- There are more than a dozen key differences in the beliefs of Christians and Mormons, yet most Christians have no idea.

In a recent article in the Christian magazine, World, author Joel Belz made this statement:

"A huge majority of the American public has no idea what Mormons claim to believe. If those holding to the Mormon faith were to place their distinctive truth claims front and center, the public response would be probing, negative, and nasty." -- World Magazine, God's World Publications, online June 16, 2012 edition (Vol. 27, No. 12)

For starters, official Mormon teachings include the belief that God the Father was once a man who progressed to godhood and that worthy men may one day become gods themselves.

On the topic of Jesus, official Mormon doctrine holds that Jesus' death on the cross did not provide full atonement for all sin. There is no concept of the Trinity. Rather, Mormonism is polytheistic, having multiple gods.

Everyone -- whether you are religious or just curious -- should know the differences. A free side-by-side comparison chart showing differences between Mormonism and Christianity is available as a free download for your computer or iPad. It can be printed for personal or group use. This objective chart simple compares the beliefs of Mormonism and Christianity in eight key areas.

Rose Publishing is a Christian publishing company that specializes in comparison charts of religious groups and church denominations that help Christians understand biblical basics. The company takes no political stance.